sex, are prone to treat with indifference a slight discharge of blood
occurring during pregnancy. Indeed, it is widely believed that
menstruation frequently continues after conception. In point of fact,
however, it is very unusual in early pregnancy, and becomes entirely
impossible after the fourth month. Accordingly, whenever vaginal
bleeding is noticed, some other explanation should be sought; and the
patient who would adopt the wisest plan should assume that she is
threatened with miscarriage. There are other possibilities, but these
are for her doctor to consider.

It is true that small hemorrhages are not necessarily followed by
miscarriage. One may even experience slight loss of blood repeatedly,
and yet give birth to a healthy child at the natural end of
pregnancy. None the less, bleeding, however moderate, should always
excite suspicion, as we know it usually denotes the breaking to some
degree of the connection between mother and child. The extent of the
separation usually determines the degree of the hemorrhage, which in
turn indicates the seriousness of the accident. The fate of the fetus
will depend upon the area of placenta, which has been incapacitated.
Flooding, however, always imperils the fetus, and generally warrants
the inference that so much of the placenta has been separated as to
render further development impossible. On the other hand, so long as
the hemorrhage does not exceed the customary flow at the monthly
periods, the life of the child is rarely endangered; while a
chocolate-colored discharge, and even the loss of small clots, may
continue indefinitely without doing serious harm. Under such
circumstances, however, the patient should communicate with her
medical adviser, and should save for his inspection whatever may be
expelled.